While crop growth technologies have advanced over the years, there are still many problems in the farming and crop industry today. As an example, while technological advances have increased efficiency and production of various crops, many factors may affect a harvest, such as weather, disease, infestation, and the like. Additionally, while the United States currently has suitable farmland to adequately provide food for the U.S. population, other countries and future populations may not have enough farmland to provide the appropriate amount of food.
Industrial grow pods have enabled growing of crops more efficiently and in a smaller amount of space than typically found in a farm. However, in order to repeatedly grow and harvest multiple crops, the carts and trays where the crop plants are grown have to be continuously emptied, cleaned and re-seeded in an assembly line manner. One of the pressing issues with a grow pod is how to clean the trays after the plants are harvested in order to ensure proper removal of any plant and particulate matter and water used for the prior crop plants, before the trays are re-seeded for the next crop. The process of cleaning the trays thoroughly is fundamentally important to the growth and development of the subsequent production of crops; however, it can be quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. An automated and efficient system for emptying and/or cleaning a tray within an assembly line grow pod is thus desirable.